Hydrocarbon Composition in Water and Coastal Sediments of the Southwestern Sea of Azov: A Case Study

O. V. Soloveva1, E. A. Tikhonova1, S. V. Alyomov1, ✉, O. V. Stepanyan2

1 A.O. Kovalevsky Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas of RAS, Sevastopol, Russian Federation

2 Federal Research Centre the Southern Scientific Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences, Rostov-on-Don, Russian Federation

✉ e-mail: numa_63@mail.ru

Abstract

Purpose. The paper aims to study the sources and spatial distribution of hydrocarbons in water, suspended matter and coastal bottom sediments in the southwestern part of the Sea of Azov (Crimean coast) to assess the level of oil pollution in this water area.

Methods and Results. Water and bottom sediment samples were collected in the summer of 2024 along the coast, including areas with high anthropogenic impacts as well as nature conservation zones. Concentrations of hydrocarbons and n-alkanes were determined by gas chromatography and diagnostic indices were calculated to identify possible sources of hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbon concentrations varied: 0.048–0.172 mg/L (mean 0.084 ± 0.030 mg/L) in water, 0.01–0/19 mg/L (mean 0.09 ± 0.05 mg/L) in suspended matter, 1.00–3.80 mg/kg (mean 2.48 ± 0.96 mg/kg) in bottom sediments. Hydrocarbon concentrations in water at all stations, except one, exceeded the maximum permissible concentration for fishery water bodies (0.05 mg/L). The distribution of n-alkanes in the studied components suggests predominantly natural sources of hydrocarbons: in water and suspended matter, these sources are primarily macrophytes and the bacterial communities, while in coastal sediments, they are organic compounds originating from terrestrial sources. The CPI2 (> 1) indices and the pristane/phytane ratio (< 1) in most samples, along with the absence of unresolved complex mixtures in the chromatograms, indicate a primarily biogenic rather than petroleum origin for the hydrocarbons.

Conclusions. The observed exceedance of the maximum permissible concentration for total hydrocarbon content in water is attributed to natural processes. The predominantly biogenic origin of hydrocarbons is explained by the influx of organic matter from terrestrial vegetation, as well as the activity of macrophytes and bacterial communities under conditions of summer water warming. Hydrocarbon accumulation in sandy bottom sediments is minimal. Thus, no evidence of oil pollution was detected in the studied water area, and the observed hydrocarbon concentrations are mainly due to natural biogeochemical processes characteristic of the Sea of Azov.

Keywords

aliphatic hydrocarbons, n-alkanes, suspended matter, coastal sediments, diagnostic indices, Sea of Azov, Crimean coast, marine pollution

Acknowledgements

This publication was financially supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation under Agreement No. 075-15-2024-528 (dated 24 April 2024), which funds the implementation of a large-scale research project within the priority areas of scientific and technological development.

For citation

Soloveva, O.V., Tikhonova, E.A., Alyomov, S.V. and Stepanyan, O.V., 2025. Hydrocarbon Composition in Water and Coastal Sediments of the Southwestern Sea of Azov: A Case Study. Physical Oceanography, 32(5), pp. 723-740.

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